Chairman Shays to Hold Three-Part Hearing On “Iraq: Democracy or Civil War?” Shays to investigate pivotal issues of training Iraqi security forces, reaching national reconciliation and consequences of U.S. forces leaving
Congressman Christopher Shays (R-CT), Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats, and International Relations, will convene a three-day oversight hearing entitled "Iraq: Democracy or Civil War?"
The three-part hearing will take place on the following days at 10:00 A.M. in 2154 Rayburn HOB.
• Monday September 11
Part I: When Can Iraqis Assume Full Internal Security?
• Wednesday, September 13
Part II: What will it Take to Achieve National Reconciliation?
• Friday, September 15
Part III: What Are the Consequences of Leaving Iraq?
“Having recently returned from my 14th oversight trip to Iraq, now is as critical a time for Iraq as I have ever seen,” Shays said. “These hearings will offer the Subcommittee an opportunity to delve into the current situation to understand if Iraq is moving toward democracy or on the verge of a civil war. It is the question upon which our operations, as well as the future of the country and region, are hinged.”
Testifying Monday on the topic "When Can Iraqis Assume Full Internal Security Responsibilities?", will be the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Mr. Eric Edelman; Rear Admiral William D. Sullivan, Vice Director for Strategic Plans and Policy for the Joint Chiefs of Staff; retired Army Major General William Nash, Director of the Center for Preventive Action at the Council on Foreign Relations; Dr. Bruce Hoffman, expert on insurgencies and terrorism previously at Rand Corporation and currently Professor of Strategic Studies at Georgetown University; and Mr. Alan King, who commanded a Civil Affairs Battalion in Iraq and was advisor for Tribal Affairs to the U.S. authorities.
During the September 13th hearing, "What Will it Take to Achieve National Reconciliation?," the Subcommittee will hear from Iraqi Sh’ia, Sunni and Kurds leaders presenting their different approaches to national reconciliation. The witnesses include Qubad Talabani, Representative of the Kurdish Regional Government; Dr. Hajim Hassani, former Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament and a Sunni Member of Parliament; and Mr. Karim Almusawi, Representative of the largest political party in Iraq, the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), a Sh’ia party. Ambassador David Satterfield, formerly Deputy to U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad in Baghdad and currently Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice's Senior Advisor on Iraq, will also testify.
The final part of the hearing, investigating “What are the Consequences of Leaving Iraq?,” will feature testimony from Dr. Fouad Ajami, Director of Middle East Studies at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies; Dr. James Fearon, Professor of Political Science at Stanford University; and Peter Galbraith of the faculty of the National War College.
“As we continue to spend American resources on the operations in Iraq, it’s important that Congress conduct oversight and ask the tough questions to ensure we are on the right track. I am eager to hear our witnesses’ honest assessments to help inform Members of Congress and the American public,” Shays said.
